The Colchester Murder.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 14, 18 January 1901, Page 4

The Colchester Murder.

A QUESTION OF IDENTITY,

[BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, last night. Sergeant Frost, of the Colchester police, and Marsh, keeper of the Colchester Town Hall, arrived yesterday for the purpose of identifying, if possible, the man Liilywhite, now in custody on the theory that he is Blatch, the person charged with the Colchester murder.

Whon the case was called on in the” Magistrate’s Court to-day, Frost said he had known Blatch well, and had seen him when he was Colchester nearly every day. Accused resembled Blatch very much, but witness could not positively say it was Blatch. The more witness looked at him the more he was convinced he was the suspected man. Later on in the examination he said he had formed an opinion that accused was Blatch. In crossexamination he said he could not recognise the voice as like Blatch’s. He could not say that Blatch was marked with smallpox, as accused was. He could not say positively it was Blatch, but the more he looked at him, the more he was convinced that the man.

Marsh said he did not at first recognise accused as Blatch, but since he had been in Court he had formed the opinion that he was. In cross-examination he said Blatch had a place worn in his teeth from holding a pipe. He did not find the same peculiarity.in accused.

As neither of the seen Blatch with a beard, the accused 'consented to be shaved.